Fishing for a new guide?
BY TYSON SMEDSTAD
Lake Sakakawea is one of Garrison’s most valuable assets.
Brett Bloemendaal already knows this and has been boosting about us on his Facebook page, Instragram, You Tube Channel, expos and radio interviews.
He arrived in Garrison to set up his guide service May 4.
“We are still waiting for the fish to really show up, they haven’t all gotten downstream or gotten over the spawn,” Bloemendaal said of the early season fishing on Sakakawea.
Garrison Area Improvement Association lured Bloemendaal to Garrison with the Guide Incentive Program that was offered to him and assistance in finding a place to live for the season.
“That whole thing has been beyond helpful. It was a huge part in making this work, to have a committed place to stay and another organization behind me to help,” Bloemendaal said. “It’s been a great partnership. Without that, I don’t know if I’d be able to be doing this.”
Bloemendaal is originally from northwest Iowa and comes from a large family with six siblings.
After college he moved to Des Moines and owns a home there.
He used to be an investment analyst but recently began guiding full time. Last off season, he traveled around doing fishing expos marketing his fishing guide service.
The past two years he mostly stayed at Deep Water Bay and fished New Town, the Van Hook Arm, Deep Water Bay and Indian Hills.
“At that point I didn’t really have a home base,” Bloemendaal said.
This summer he will be living in Garrison full-time.
